ThoseStubbornSouls,theBiellese倔强的彼埃拉人ThoseStubbornSouls,theBielleseAfarmerwasonhiswaydowntoBiellaonedayTheweatherwassostormythatitwasnexttoimpossibletogetovertheroadsButthefarmerhadimportantbusinessandpushedonwardinthefaceofthedrivingrainHemetanoldman,whosaidtohim,Agooddaytoyou!Whereareyougoing,mygoodman,insuchhaste?ToBiella,answeredthefarmer,withoutslowingdown.Youmightatleastsay,GodwillingThefarmerstopped,lookedtheoldmanintheeye,andsnapped,Godwilling,ImonmywaytoBiellaButevenifGodisntwilling,IstillhavetogothereallthesameNowtheoldmanhappenedtobetheLordInthatcaseyoullgotoBiellainsevenyears,hesaidInthemeantime,jumpintothisswampandstaythereforsevenyearsSuddenlythefarmerchangedintoafrogandjumpedintotheswamp.SevenyearswentbyThefarmercameoutoftheswamp,turnedbackintoaman,clappedhishatonhishead,andcontinuedonhiswaytomarket.AfterashortdistancehemettheoldmanagainAndwhereareyougoing,mygoodman?ToBiellaYoumightsay,Godwilling.IfGodwillsit,fineIfnot,IknowtheconsequenceandcannowgointotheswampunassistedNorforthelifeofhimwouldhesayonewordmore.(Biellese)NOTES:ThoseStubbornSouls,theBiellese(Ibiellesi,gentedura)fromVirginiaMajoliFaccio(Lincantesimodellamezzanotte,IlBiellesenellesueleggende,Milan,1941),Valdengo,PiedmontThistaleisalsofoundinTrieste,starringtheFriulians(Pinguenti,51)Copyright:ItalianFolktalesSelectedandRetoldbyItaloCalvino,translatedbyGeorgeMartin,PantheonBooks,NewYork1980倔强的彼埃拉人一个农夫要去彼埃拉。正赶上刮风下雨的恶劣天气，路都几乎无法走了。但这个农夫有要紧的事，他低着头顶着风雨雷电继续往前走。 他遇上一个老人，对他说：“你好啊！你这样急急忙忙的要去哪里啊？好人。” “去彼埃拉。”农夫答道，继续往前走。 “你至少应该说一声愿上帝保佑吧。” 农夫停了下来，望着面前的老人高声说：“如果上帝保佑，我去彼埃拉；如果上帝不保佑，我照样得去。” 其实，那个老人就是上帝。他对农夫说：“那好吧，你七年以后才能到彼埃拉去，现在，你跳进池塘，在里面待上七年吧。” 农夫立即变成了一只青蛙，跳进了池塘。 七年过去了。农夫从池塘中出来，又变回人，他戴紧帽子，又上路了。 没走几步，上次那个老人又出现了。“好人，你这是去哪里啊？” “去彼埃拉。” “你应该祈祷一声愿上帝保佑。” “要是上帝保佑，那很好；要是不保佑，那个惩罚我知道，我会自己跳进池塘里去。” 说完，他再也不开口说话了。 （比埃拉地区）